Slow Dancing in A Burning Room
by halfwaythere
Summary: With a new mended heart, Gabriella returns to Albuquerque under unfortunate circumstances, she's determined to steer clear Troy for the rest of Senior year, except he won't leave her alone. TxG.
1. Their return

Disclaimer: It is such a given that I don't own any of this...

Chapter 1

"AND YET ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE WILDCATS!" The announcer stated confidently although the ball hadn't made it pass the net, he was sure it was a done deal. Merely seconds ago, Troy Bolton, had intercepted the ball from the opposing team, drove it down the court aggressively, and slammed into the basket violently, right in the same moment that the buzzer went off. He landed back on the hardwood floor, greeted by his teammates who were still on the adrenaline high of winning.

"Hell yeah! That's what we're about!" Chad clapped his back with a big grin plastered on his face, "And that is how we're going finish out this senior year."

"Dude, how did you do that?" Zeke's confused eyes scanned the court and glanced up at the basket, "Where did you learn that?"

"He is just that good," Jason threw his arm around Troy's shoulder and handed him the ball, "That's why he's the captain."

"Speaking of the captain," Chad stretched his back and nodded ahead, "Your girl is here."

She was walking towards them, stopping every now and then to greet people, until she locked eyes with him. "That was was incredible," she stopped a few inches before him, "Troy, I didn't know you played like that."

He shrugged and pulled her in, tugging the hem of her cheerleading uniform's top. "Well I do," he smoothly rested his hand on her waist and leaned into her ear, "All we have to do tonight is figure out how you like to play." He smiled slyly.

"Well what are you waiting for?" The beautiful brunette grabbed his arms and tugged him in the direction of the gym's exit.

"Damn, damn, DAMN!" One of their teammates rushed in and interrupted them, "Troy, did you see that girl up in the bleachers?"

"Michaels, dude, I'm in the middle of something." He waved off the junior and kissed his girlfriend, letting her lead him away from the guys.

She smiled at his kiss, tugging at his red and white jersey, "Where do you want to go?"

"I'll take you anywhere, baby," He smirked and pulled apart for a minute to grab his duffel bag.

She watched him for a minute and laughed, "I'm going to say bye to girls first, I'll meet you in your truck in a little bit."

"Alright," He spun the car keys in his hand and made his way out of gym, Troy pushed the exit door opened and spotted a group of teenagers, who were probably from West High since he didn't really recognize any of them, except for a few of guys in their basketball jerseys.

"Troy Bolton," one of them called loudly.

Troy turned his attention to them for a minute.

"Good game, Dude," their team captain emerged from the crowd and grinned, "That last dunk? That was ace."

"Thanks," Troy gave them a half-smile and continued to walk past them, until his sight was set on a familiar face.

At first he didn't really even believe that it was her, but when Adrian, one of football players from East High had called her name, it started to become too much a coincidence. She spun around and smiled brightly. He stopped in the middle of parking lot with his eyes set on her, so much questions forming in his head. Watching her, he noted the way she looked in that pale moonlight. The way the soft glow of the streetlamp highlighted her smiles. She was wearing dark skinny jeans, with a black tunic, black heels, and her beautiful hair in light curls trailing her back.

She gave him a hug and turned around to find her ride, not expecting to come face to face with him. Her lovely brown eyes met his piercing blue stare. She shifted nervously, studying his facial features and things that had changed since sophomore year.

He stood a little taller now, a little more prideful in his posture. His confidence seemed to have just poured out of him.

Troy stood before her, his car keys in one hand and his duffel bag in the other, not sure of what to say. He cleared his throat and shoved his hand into the pockets of his letterman. "Hi," he lamely greeted her, wondering how the news of her return had escaped him.

"Gabriella, you ready?" David Grantham, a senior who had transfered to their school last year, interrupted their staring contest.

She broke away staring at Troy and glanced up, smiled weakly, "Yeah... I was waiting for you."

He nodded towards the car, "Lets go."

Troy watched as she took his arm and held onto him. Not realizing that the gnawing feeling grew in his stomach was jealousy, he so far into his thoughts about her that he didn't even notice David congratulations nor did he really care for them anyway.

And although David was leading her away from him, Gabriella couldn't help but turn around one last time. Her face grew soft and behind her lovely eyes while she hid her innermost feelings trapped underneath the current circumstances. She finally turned her attention back on David, quickly putting him behind her again.

He watched her figure leaving him, noting the way she clung to him. "Babe?" Troy's girlfriend of the week, finally freed herself from her cheerleader captain duties and found him.

"You done?" He asked coarsely.

"Yeah, so... where are we going?"

Troy's breathed out heavily and pulled his duffel bag onto his broad shoulder. "Actually, tonight I... I just want to..."

She studied him skeptically, "You want to go to Chad's after party don't you?"

He shrugged and unlocked his pick-up truck.

"Whatever." She muttered under her breath and climbed into the passengers seat, wondering in her head what he was thinking about that had him so distracted suddenly.

* * *

Vivian Whitfield was never one to wonder about boys and where their thoughts would linger to. She always knew that the led to her. Except, whenever it came to Troy Bolton, he confused her. She never knew if he was really that into her, or if it was just his charm that captivated so many other girls. The only thing that she was certain of was his moodiness. He could be on top of the world for months and then somehow, Troy would unexpectedly shut himself off to the world and disclose everyone from his personal thoughts. Like now.

She put down the red plastic cup full of unknown liquor in her hand and studied him. He'd been holding the same beer can that he had since he first arrived two hours ago, and she doubted that he was halfway done with that.

"Viv, what is going on with your boyfriend?" Sharpay Evans, pulled herself up onto the barstool and leaned against the counter. "He's not talking... at all."

"Yeah, it's weird... especially after the big win right?" The cheerleader pointed out. The truth was he wasn't her boyfriend, everyone just referred to them as a couple because their relationship was always on and off.

They watched as he got up and left the beer can on the coffee table, he was heading towards them. Troy pushed his way through the crowd and gave Vivian a look. "Think I might head out for minute, Call me if you need a ride home." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

He dug out the keys to his truck. "You're my friend right Sharpay?" He directed towards the other blonde.

"Yeah, Troy." She answered, slightly put off at the fact that he even had to ask.

He didn't even look at her, "I think a friend would've given me at least a heads up about her being back here," he walked away indifferently.

Suddenly the reason of his moodiness stuck out like a sore thumb. Sharpay jumped up and caught his shoulder pulling him back, "Troy, I didn't know how to tell you... I mean the way you two left things and I just didn't want to get into any of-"

"Save it." He shrugged her off and left her sitting there trying to figure how he found out. Troy in all his athlete's glory walked out of the house party and climbed into his pick-up truck, slammed the door shut, and brought the engine back to life. In a heated hurry, he carelessly backed up and drove aimlessly, only satisfied of ridding himself of people at the moment.

* * *

The next monday morning was an awkward one for Troy. After the big win last Friday, everyone would be in his face to talk about it. After trying to find some down time while sitting in the bed of his pick-up truck that morning, he waited for the bell to ring before grabbing his daily spiral notebook and duffel bag and heading into the school.

"Good morning, Handsome," Vivian grew bright as soon as she saw him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Morning babe," he grinned and brushed her off slightly, and unlocked his locker shoving all of the contents in that he held into the space.

"You alright now?" She tried again, knowing that he could still be in the same moodiness from friday night.

Troy turned around and glanced at her. He smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I was just tired about stuff."

Her assurance restored, Vivian kissed him once more before going to her first period class, "I'll see you later then."

"Later," he muttered and ruffled the top of her head. She turned around and frowned, fixing her hair.

Troy laughed to himself once she left, he closed the locker and turned, somehow surprised to see Gabriella on the other side of the hallway, pulling out books from her locker. Somehow he'd forgotten that she was back that morning although he'd spent all weekend thinking about it.

"I call dibs on the new girl," Cody Michaels, out of nowhere stood next to him and was scanning her hungrily.

"No, you don't," Deciding to take the long way to homeroom, Troy turned around and grabbed his teammates collar.

"Okay, okay," Michaels winced and took it back, "fine, I don't call dibs on her." He hurried his steps trying to keep up with his captain.

Troy laughed, "Good, because she's not available." He let go as soon as they were at the stairwell and Gabriella was out of sight, "and make sure everyone else knows if they didn't already."

"Kind of... possessive over this one aren't you?" He gave him a quizzical glance, this sort of behavior was unusual for their captain. "I mean you usually don't care about new girls."

He shrugged, "She's an old friend." He climbed up the stairs.

"She's an old girlfriend," Chad was at the top of the stairwell and interrupted, already knowing what they were talking about.

"Damn, THAT'S HER?" Troy stopped and the two seniors turned around, they glanced down skeptically at Michael's sudden outburst. The junior raised both hands in surrender, "I'm sorry, but the girl is TOO FINE to be a bookworm, and I'm pretty sure Grantham's already..."

"Shut the hell up," His expression grew cold at the thought of the Gabriella and the Varsity quarterback.

Cody closed his mouth and backed off immediately. Chad laughed and pushed his friend towards their classroom, "He didn't mean it, let it go dude."

Troy shook his head, "Later dude." He brushed off the comment, it was probably just stupid gossip that was flying around.

"He wasn't lying about Grantham though," Chad warned him cautiously, trying to avoid a sensitive nerve, "That kid has been all over her."

And sure enough as he turned the corner and glanced up the hall, she stood outside of their homeroom with the football star.

"Thanks for the help though," David tucked the paper in the back pocket of his jeans, "See you at lunch?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then." She took her books back from him, "Thanks David."

"Got a thing for captains, I see." Troy muttered and walked past her with a smirk on his face. He dug his hands into his pockets and disappeared into the room and left her outside.

She rolled her eyes and followed into their homeroom.

"Ms. Montez," The drama teacher paused at the front of the class and smiled, "What are you doing here?"

Gabriella shifted and pulled out a small yellow slip, "I'm back."

Ms. Darbus took the note and studied it, "Yes well, apparently you are... you may take your seat in the back of the classroom, the one you had before... and you also have detention."

The brunette frowned and looked at her teacher with frustration.

"You were ten minutes late, dear," Darbus turned around and walked towards the blackboard, "the rules haven't changed."

She took her seat grudgingly.

"Maybe if she wasn't outside messing around with David Grantham, she wouldn't have been late," Troy remarked snidely, he stretched his back and acted as if it were a normal day.

"Mr. Bolton, you also have detention, I wasn't so distracted to notice that you arrived late also," Ms. Darbus didn't hesitate to reprimand him. The rest of the class fell quiet, they all glanced back and forth from Troy and Gabriella.

He shrugged, "Thats okay... I'm fine with detention, it's not like I've got anyone to hook-up with this afternoon."

"Absolutely UNAPPROPRIATE," Darbus spun around and gave him a warning, "That is fifteen more minutes."

Troy turned his head around and glanced at her. She ignored him. The first thing that he noticed was her long tanned legs, which was probably a result of spending time on the California beaches. She was wearing a ripped up jean skirt, that wasn't so short to make her look easy and neither too long to make her look like a prude. It would be foolish to say that she wasn't beautiful, because to him she left all the other girls in the dust in that department. It was that fact that she made him uncomfortable, as if he couldn't read her anymore and she was a different person than the one who left the summer before junior year. "One man's trash is another one's treasure... right Gabriella?" He didn't bother to whisper.

"Ugh, asshole," Sharpay muttered and felt a sudden urge to shove him down the stairs.

The bell rang. The beauty rose from her seat and rolled her eyes as she walked past his desk, making it obvious she didn't have anything to say to him. He smirked and watched her walk out, noticing that she seemed a little leaner.

"Dude," Chad gave him a disapproving frown, "That was fucked up."

He shrugged, "Yeah... it was."

* * *

"You look like... beach barbie."

She laughed and shut her locker, faking a frown at Sharpay, "a Beach Barbie?"

The blonde shrugged, "A smart one?"

"Okay... thanks," she pulled her Dior bag onto her shoulder, "Anyway, I'm not so sure that I've got time for lunch toda-"

"No."

Her mouth fell open, "Seriously... I have calls that I need to."

"Other people can take of," she grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hallway, "Come on."

After being pulled away towards their usual lunch table (that was exactly how fast Sharpay walked), Gabriella found Troy with his feet propped up on the table, a girl underneath his arm and an enormous smirk on his face.

She pulled her friend aside, "Are you serious? I'm not sitting here... I'm not talking to him."

"You don't have to," she promised, "I swear we'll make him behave... besides, he's already seen you... you don't want him to think that you're running away."

"Ugh," Gabriella grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the table, she sat down squarely in front of Troy.

He stretched out his arm further across Vivian's shoulder and pulled her in closer, "Where's your boyfriend?"

She rolled her eyes and pulled out her cell-phone.

He snorted and shook his head, "Oh that's right, he was probably just a random f-"

"Shut the HELL UP, Troy," Sharpay glared at him dangerously.

He bit his lip and leaned back, temporarily looking busy with the abundance of math homework in his textbook, while watching Gabriella in his peripheral. She wasn't eating anything, just texting away on her phone.

"Montez, you're not eating anything," David appeared on the other side of the cafeteria, emerging from a table full of his football players. He looked strikingly different from the rest of them, with a tattoo at the base of his neck peaking out from underneath his favorite 'Threadless' shirt, he approached her with a skeptic grin.

Troy noticed the bright smile that grew on her face when she moved over to make room for him, the rest of the girls watched them nudging each other.

"Not hungry," she shrugged her shoulder and bit her lip.

"Okay," not fully convinced, he glanced up and smiled at Sharpay who was on the other side of Gabriella, "Hey Sharpay."

Her suspicious expression faded as she took note of him, she smiled back, "Hello David Grantham, how on earth do you know Gabriella so well to be talking to her?" The one question that had been burning in Troy's mind since the night he saw them together.

Gabriella coughed, she turned around and laughed at the blonde, "You haven't changed a bit."

"I'm just saying," She shrugged, "It's weird that you guys know each other." She looked up at David and waited for his answer.

"We hooked up." He answered flatly.

Troy coughed, loudly... and Sharpay's pretty green eyes grew wide. Gabriella jabbed him in his ribs.

A sly grin slowly grew on his face, "Oh... was I supposed to lie about that?"

She gave up and looked at her best friend, "He's just joking... we've never been together like that before."

He laughed and threw an arm around her waist, "Seriously though," his face straightened out, "When she's ready to have kids, we're going to make a superior race of humans."

Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Hey," he looked down at her, "you said that..."

"I was drunk."

"The truth comes out when your wasted."

"I didn't have that much tequila."

"You DRINK?" Where was Gabriella the goody two-shoes? Sharpay mouth dropped, "Gabs... you NEVER get wasted with us."

Her checks blushed with a hint of embarrassment, "I don't think it's such a good idea for you to be friends with my school friends." She turned around and bit her lip.

"Cause all of your bones come flying out of the closet huh?" He nodded understandingly and perched up, "We were friends from a long time ago... before her mom started moving her around to all of these different states." He finally admitted to Sharpay.

"Oh," She her shoulders fell, they were really only friends.

"Anyway, I have to go... I promised Neely I'd help with her Physics stuff," He got up and gently touched Gabriella's soft curls, "Hair looks good today."

"I told you... Paul Mitchell is a hair god," she hugged him quickly and let go, "Bye David."

David let go her arm, "I guess so... later ladies, Troy." He nodded and left them, soon being distracted by another teammate of his.

Taylor, who came out of nowhere, put her books on the table and sat down on the other side of Gabriella, waiting for a response. While Sharpay, Vivian, and Troy kept their eyes on her.

"Don't start."

"On the fact that he's ridiculously gorgeous?" Sharpay was first to make a breach on the silence.

Taylor was always second, "How do you know him? He's the new football captain."

"How could you stay friends with a guy like that and not..."

"Oh God, Shar have you seen his tattoos?"

And even Vivian, who knew nothing about Gabriella and Troy's history joined in. "He is really hot," she agreed.

Troy slammed his math book shut, he threw down his pencil and got up, "FUCK MATH." With a stormy exit, Troy Bolton kicked aside the blue chair and walked out of the cafeteria, leaving the crowd watching his silhouette disappear behind the doors.

Annoyed, she crossed her legs and rolled her eyes. Catching the subliminal message that he was conveying only to her.

'Fuck math' she repeated in her head, remembering the light-hearted joke on the rooftop about being the 'Freaky math girl'.

"He's been like that ever since Friday," Vivian stole a glance at Gabriella, not sure of who she was but making a subtle connection about Gabriella's return and Troy's moodiness.

Taylor decided to change the subject, "Anyway... Carter's party is in two weeks. You feel like going?"

Carter, as in Wes Carter, who was Albuquerque's own version of Brandon Davis, always threw legendary house parties, where the most-discussed gossip topic of the year took place.

"Not really... that guy is sort of an ass." Gabriella had a blank expression, she glanced up and saw Vivian, "I'm sorry... I haven't really met you yet. I'm Gabriella."

The brunette smiled, "It's okay... I've heard plenty about you in the last three days. I'm Vivian." She stuck her hand out and shook Gabriella's hand.

"Are you going to Carter's party?"

Vivian moved Troy's jacket and showed her the cheerleading uniform underneath the letterman, "I kind of have too... I'll just steer clear oh him though."

Gabriella nodded, "Yeah, he tried to feel me up the last time I was there."

"Gross."

"I know." She laughed, "Troy kind of took care of it for me though... he gave that guy a black eye."

"So I guess you and Troy used to be friends?"

Gabriella hesitated to answer, actually she didn't even mean to bring him up. She chewed on her bottom lip, "Yeah we used to be friends."

Vivian could sense her uncomfortable tone.

Sharpay pulled them out of the conversation, "Oh look, there's Zeke and Chad." She tugged Gabriella's elbow, "You can tell all of us about how you know Grantham so well."

Gabriella scoffed and she smiled.

"Okay, who pissed off Troy today?" Chad looked around expectantly and his eyes fell on Gabriella, "Oh. Nevermind."

"Hi Chad." She raised her eyebrows.

A smile grew on his face... "Good Morning Gabriella," He kissed the top of her head and sat down next to Taylor. "What happened?" He mouthed when he thought Gabriella wasn't looking.

"Morning?" Sharpay looked at him strangely.

Zeke shook his head, "The dude just woke up right before the bell rang in Crain's class. Dude, you're going fail once you take that mid term."

"Have you forgotten that my girlfriend is basically a freaking Chemistry genius?" He pointed at Taylor, "It's like we're sharing a brain."

"Oh god, Taylor's IQ has dropped like a million points," Sharpay muttered and turned to her boyfriend, "You brought me anything today?"

Zeke shook his head, "Troy snatched the cookies from out of my hand and threw them in the trash."

Her mouth fell open, "Okay, NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM..."

"It's okay, Shar, I'll bake some more this after school." He patted her back.

She shook her head, "I can't believe he would get this upset over..."

"Man, that is one mean kid today," Jason, who had just got to their table, dropped his backpack on the linoleum and sat on to the chair next to Vivian. "Did you say something to him?"

Vivian laughed nervously, "I swear I wouldn't even know how to get him all mad like that."

They saw the logic in that, and the rest of the group turned around at looked at the other brunette, who was in another world. She was currently noticing Martha Cox's weight loss, and the girl looked good now, apparently she'd missed a lot in the last year. Gabriella glanced back at the people at her table, they were all staring at her. With a confused expression, her shoulders fell, "What?"

"What did you say to Troy?" Chad raised an accusing tone.

She scoffed, she looked around at the rest of her friends, "Are you kidding me?"

"You must've said something," Sharpay added, "He threw away my cookies."

"And it's my fault?"

"Indirectly."

Her mouth fell opened, "I haven't said a word to him since I've been here... and all of you have heard the little pathetic insults he throws out at me."

"Well then, maybe you could throw some insults back?" Taylor suggested.

"No, I'm not wasting my time with him." She shook her head and glanced up at Vivian, "No offense."

She shrugged, "I just want old happy Troy back."

"Me too," Chad added.

"Me three," Zeke was next.

"Me fou-"

"Okay, I get it," She interrupted, "But we don't mean the same things to each other anymore. I'm sorry, but there is no way that I'm going to get back on that emotional roller-coaster." Gabriella grabbed her bag and got up, escaping the cafeteria.

'But we don't mean the same things to each other anymore,' Vivian watched her intently, realizing that maybe this girl wasn't just an old friend to Troy, and strangely Gabriella understood how it felt to be with him like none of his other friends did. With a few words she described how it felt like to be with him.

"Think they'll ever be friends again?" Taylor thought out loud as the rest of them watched her leave. She walked away going through her phone again, checking for any missed calls and not noticing the people watched her. Since Gabriella returned, their senior year was going to become a little more 'eventful'.

* * *

Review please... :) 


	2. Quiet

Yay for fast updates and reviews!!!

* * *

Chapter 2. 

Detention was uneventful, although Troy did finally stop with his smart remarks. The two were silent, except for the occasional text messages that she received on her blackberry. While she sat on the other side of the room, finishing her AP Calc homework, he was slumped over in the chair next to the window, his head down against the cool desk and he watched her. Smiling inwardly about the way she bit her lip and flipped through the pages, looking for ways to find the answer. Every now and then she glanced at her phone and smiled, and that was when the empty feeling in his stomach would return, every time she got a text message from Grantham and their blissful silence was interrupted.

It was like she took him from one extreme to another, and in the stillness of the classroom Troy found a familiar sense of quietness that he'd been struggling without for the last year; even if she was ignoring him.

"Hello?" She brought the phone to her ear and Troy looked away.

Stupid phone was irritating him.

Her eyebrows scrunched up, "Whoa Mom, calm down... I can't... understand you, you're rambling."

Troy glanced back at her and caught the way her shoulders tensed up.

"No, it's not important," she started shuffling her papers, "I'll pick you up in a minute."

Shutting her text book, Gabriella got up and gathered her things.

He sat up, it hadn't even been fifteen minutes and she about to leave? "Gabriella," It felt so foreign on his tongue, like a forbidden word.

She glanced up and for a moment he caught her eyes.

"You... alright?" He wanted to say so much more but they were the only words that came out.

Gabriella scoffed and tore herself from his piercing stare, she grabbed her books, leaving him in the room without an answer.

Another cold brush off, this was getting really old. Troy put his head down, deciding to skip basketball practice that afternoon. He was neutral, she said nothing; he was a jerk, she said nothing; he was nice, still nothing.

* * *

The next couple of weeks were the same. Sometimes he was incredibly rude, sometimes he was sitting on the edge of being polite, and sometimes one the rarest occasions when they were alone, he was silent just to soak up the calm quiet that they involuntarily shared. 

So he sat there in the same seat that he had before, directly adjacent from her. Troy had his arms folded and remained unusually wordless.

With the rest of the group talking about random things, holding different conversations, it seemed like he was the only one really paying attention. Gabriella had been constantly glued to her Blackberry.

"Gabriella?" It was just another guy who was about to get burned in front of the student body. The guys looked wary of him, they all glared and hoped that he'd just get scared and leave.

She put down her phone and glanced up at him quickly, "Yeah... Isaac. Art Isaac!"

Troy kept his eyes away but listened intently.

"You remembered," he shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned.

She smiled, "Of course, we had Art together... and I was terrible."

"Do you want to sit down?" Sharpay asked bluntly, "Gabriella needs a date from Carter's party... you're it."

Zeke nudged her. "What are you doing?" He mouthed when Gabriella wasn't looking.

Gabriella coughed and glared at her best friend. The boy shifted uncomfortably, "I'm not goin-"

"You need this," Taylor sided with the blonde, "And he's attractive... and not a total ass... I hope." She looked up at him, "Are you?"

Chad coughed and grabbed his girlfriend, she shrugged him off.

Isaac scratched his arm, "Um... no?"

"See?" Sharpay's face grew bright, "Now you have no excuses!"

Gabriella shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I'm so sorry Isaac."

"I wasn't going to ask you to that but... sure," he shrugged.

"Let me get you my number."

He dug it out from his jean pocket and handed it to her. She took it and dialed in her number, glaring at her two best friends at the same time.

"California has been good to you," He grinned at her as took his Razor back.

Troy rubbed his eyes and caught her face, even when everyone else seemed to miss it. For a split-second, Gabriella looked defeated, like she was tired and worn, and then she pulled the corners of her lips back up into a bright smile. She shrugged, "California's good to everyone."

With a sense of confidence, Isaac winked at her and walked away backwards not taking his eyes off of her until he was swept away in the crowd.

"He's surprisingly handsome, for an art dude," Sharpay gushed as she grabbed Gabriella's arm, "And he's got a great personality."

"Are you serious?" Chad glared at all three girls, "That dude is a idiot."

"And he's not so popular that people will care," Taylor added ignoring her boyfriend again.

Chad shook his head and rested it against the table.

"Aww, we're talking about me?" David dropped his English books in front of Gabriella, "Which one's good?"

"I hate how you assume that I've read all of these," she stared at the pile.

"Well," he bit his lip, "Have you?"

"Yeah, but that's-"

"Hi David Grantham," Sharpay pulled him down, "Gabriella has a date."

His face changed and he glanced over at her, "Who?"

"David, I can find a date," she answered defensively.

He looked at her cautiously, "No... not a good one, you've always managed to attract all the pretty play boys."

"For the three years that I've known you," Sharpay sided with him, "He's got a point."

"Tell me about it," She muttered under her breath.

"Who is it?"

"This one isn't a jerk," Taylor smiled proudly, "It's Isaac... you know that Art guy." She covered for not knowing his last name.

"Thornton?" David's broad shoulders fell and looked at all of them strangely, he finally glanced over at Troy, "Dude... you know about him."

"I tried," Chad got up and walked away, "I'm going to get myself some lunch now."

It took awhile to respond, but when he did, Troy managed to grab his books and leaned over the table, with his right hand he gently grabbed her arm and brought her closer to him. "You better pray to the party gods that he's not there with you," he whispered softly against her skin his cobalt eyes piercing through her, "because I promise you, all hell will break loose if I see him there."

Gabriella studied him, she glared defiantly back at him. She could feel the rest of the cafeteria's attention on the two of them, watching their former 'Most Likely To Get Married' couple in a power struggle.

"You don't have to talk to me," he inched his way closer, "I don't fucking care anymore, but the idiot you just agreed to go on a date with is more than you can handle."

A few seconds went by and she finally answered him, after weeks of a substantial silence. "Troy," her voice was soft and she spoke into his ear as he drank in her few words, "You've got no room to talk."

And everyone in the room watched as Troy bit his lip, he slowly let her slip away and tightened the grip on his books. He shoved his free hand into his jean pocket and turned away, leaving the cafeteria like nothing happened. The rest of the students went back to busying themselves.

"The fuck was THAT?" David was first to break the awkward silence at the table, his eyes was wide.

Gabriella lingered on the doors that Troy disappeared behind, she slowly turned her head back to her him, "What?"

He grabbed Taylor's plastic knife and started waving it around in the air.

"What are you doing?" Gabriella backed up and the girls looked at him strangely.

"I'm cutting the sexual tension," he explained right before she grabbed his arm.

Taylor went back into her Chemistry book and muttered, "Too late... Mr. Sexual Tension already left.

"You're making a scene," Gabriella snatched the plastic ware away from him, "Stop it."

He finally stopped, "Oh I'm the one that making the scene."

"Don't you have some girl to hit on?" She waved him away, "Disappear."

"Whatever," he got up, "Don't... don't buy into that art bullshit," David left his books there and pointed at her warningly. "Don't do it," he reminded right before he left.

They stayed still for a moment after he left.

"... You sure you don't want to go to Carter's party with Tro-"

"DON'T you start," Gabriella cut in before Sharpay could finish her question. Taylor's shoulders fell along with the blonde.

"David is amazingly handsome," Taylor suggested, "And he's got that tall, dark, and handsome thing going on..."

"No," she shook her head, "I'm going with Isaac... I'm not a stupid little cheerleader, I know how to take care of myself."

The two girls backed off, realizing that this had nothing to do with Isaac or going to Carter's party at all, but just a stubborn choice to defy her ex-boyfriend.

* * *

"You're really quiet tonight," Troy kissed the nape of her neck and murmured into her hair. 

Vivian shrugged her shoulders and played with the collar of his neck, "You're really quiet too."

"I like quiet," he smiled and traced the outline of her lovely face, "Quiet is good sometimes."

"Sometimes," she pushed him off of her and sank into the bed sheets, stared up at the ceiling.

He gave her some space and rested his head on a pillow. "What is it?" His muffled voice returned.

"It's nothing it's stupid," She climbed out of bed to turn off the lights, "Night."

"Night," he pulled her close, "I love you."

"... Don't say it if you don't mean it," she answered firmly.

Troy couldn't let this go, he sat up and looked perplexedly down at her, "Viv, if you don't want me here then just let me know."

She huffed and grabbed his arm, pulling him back down, "Just go to sleep."

"What is it?" He continued.

She kissed him quickly, "Shut up and go to sleep."

Troy groaned and grabbed her by the waist firmly, "Tell me."

He could read her hesitation, but she finally answered, "You kissed Gabriella Montez at lunch today?"

"What?"

"Allison Edwards told me during practice," she explained, "she said you grabbed her by the arm, you leaned in real close, and you kissed her... in front of everyone in the cafeteria... when I was library studying for my Economics test."

He stared at her for the longest time and finally let out a heavy breath. "Allison Edwards needs to get her eyes checked."

"You didn't?"

"I didn't, I was just being overly obnoxious and it must've looked like something else," He confessed.

She smiled weakly, "I'm sorry... I told you it was stupid."

"It's not stupid," he ran his fingers through her hair, "But I am curious about why it bothers you so much, you never cared about other girls."

" -Because..."

He raised his eyebrows.

"She's the ex-girlfriend that you... never got over," Vivian answered slowly.

"Is that what the rumor is?" He started to laugh.

She frowned, "Stop laughing... because Sharpay's the one that told me."

He stopped, his smile faded, "What did she tell you?"

"When we first met, you were perfect except you just seemed so emotionally unavailable," she shrugged, "and I asked Sharpay about it..."

"And she said?"

"...She said that you had a really bad break-up with this girl," Vivian tore her eyes away from Troy's, "No one knew what happen... they just never bring it up in front of you."

He let go of her and sat up. That wasn't completely true, it seemed like they shoved it in his face every chance they got.

"So when Gabriella got here and I found out about your history with her, I assumed..." She looked at him and caught his weary eyes, she started to regret the whole conversation, "Is she the same girl, Troy?"

He didn't want to answer her. Troy swallowed and lied, "No, it was a different girl."

"Troy."

"Different girl, different time," he looked up at forced a smile, "I was a different person then."

Vivian rubbed his arm, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he shook his head and leaned down, "You know that I love you."

She smiled back and kissed him, wondering in the back of her mind how many times she let him slip away with those words, and how many times had he muttered them to 'that girl'.

* * *

"So uh. Once upon a time," Chad dribbled the ball and passed it to his captain, "There was this guy, who still had it bad for his ex-girlfriend." 

"Hmm, which one?" Troy glanced back at his best friend. Their morning practice was done and they were the only two still shooting hoops in the gym.

He tore off his jersey, "The only one that counted."

He found an unreadable expression on Chad's face, and gave up on trying to understand it. "Shut up with that bullshit man," he brushed it off, and tossed the leather ball away, "before my girlfriend hears about it."

"Um Memo: Viv is not your girlfriend," Chad looked at him sternly, "she never was... because you never asked her out."

"Damn it," Troy rolled his eyes, "What Reverend Danforth? What the hell I'm I doing wrong this time."

Chad just gave him a cold stare and made his way towards the locker room, "Let go of her, besides, it's fucking crystal clear that your never got over Gabri-"

"You know what? Chad, seriously, shut up." He followed him out of the gym doors, "Please shut the hell up."

His friend shook his head.

"I don't care about her fucking around with Grantham," he ranted as the turned the corner, "She can go Carter's party and get herself raped and beat by Thornton, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!."

He looked up to see that Chad had stopped in the middle of he hallway, Troy followed his the direction that his best friend was staring in.

She was only a few feet away and he noticed that she came to a full stop as well. If she was hurt, she didn't show it, Gabriella handed a paper McDonalds bag into Chad's hands and handed him the orange juice, "Taylor couldn't make it cause she's got this project due in two hours, so she sent me."

"Oh, t- th- thanks Gabs," he smiled weakly.

She grinned back, "Yeah... she also picked up another order..."

Troy eyed the coffee and bag in her other hand.

"But..." Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows and laughed, "I forgot who... hmm, that's really careless of me."

Chad nodded nervously, he stepped back a little.

"Actually, I-" Troy raised his hand a little, but she cut him off.

"That's okay," her eyebrows rose, and she smiled. Gabriella opened the lid and and poured his expresso into the trash can, she took her time to unwrap his breakfast burrito and crumpled it up with bare hands, finally tossing it out along with the coffee. The brunette wiped off her greasy hand on his chest, right in the middle of his number '14'.

Watching with his jaw dropped wide open, Chad knew that Troy was wearing his lucky jersey and it would most likely be nearly impossible to take out the grease stain.

She looked right into Troy's dark navy eyes, "I think I'm almost certain that he 'doesn't give a fuck'." Gabriella turned around and walked away, "Later Chad."

"Bitch," he muttered rather loudly. In all of his anger and annoyance, Troy couldn't help but notice her body as she walked away. He wouldn't let it show nor would he admit it, but this was part of her that he most admired, the way she carried herself so strongly.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD," Chad finally let out after she was gone. "Damn, that was brilliant," he glanced up at Troy, "Can we do that again?"

"Shut up," He pulled his jersey off and continued to the locker room, "She fucked up my favorite jersey." Troy pushed open the heavy doors and walked right passed his dad, who looked at him strangely. "I was trying to make a point," he threw the red fabric into his locker, "I didn't even mean it."

Chad had a wide grin on his face, "Don't say it if you don't mean it."

Troy pushed him aside, "You sound like Viv."

"You didn't let me finish my story."

"Damn, this is going to be a long day."

"Party's tonight."

"Damn."

* * *

For all of the words that hurt, Gabriella knew that apart of him was only acting up. She hoped, at least, because when she knew him like the back of her hand, Troy was a different person. This morning Gabriella had finally made it into Darbus's class in time to not be counted tardy, as for Troy however, he wasn't so lucky. She figured he was still whining about his breakfast and his jersey being ruined in the boy's locker room. 

Chad strolled in with a wide grin along with Zeke who took the seat right in front of her temporarily, "I heard,"

"You heard what?" she was in the middle of a text message.

"About you throwing away someone's breakfast," he slowly started to smile, "Although, I am a little bummed that you didn't just give it to me."

"Oh," she laughed lightly, "I'll keep that in mind next time."

"Cool," he got up and high-fived her, finding his seat.

Ms. Darbus came in with a stack of papers in her hand. She quickly passed them out while Gabriella put her phone on silence. "Good Morning Class, we will be going over narration this week and I need a volunteer to-"

"I'M HERE, I'M HERE," Troy flew into the classroom and into his seat as soon as the tardy bell went off, "I'm NOT late."

"Fifteen minutes for disrupting my lesson," Darbus pushed up her red-rimmed glasses and gently placed down a thin packet on his desk.

"Whoa, he cannot miss another practice," Chad intervened, "Ms. Darb-"

"That is fifteen for you as well, Mr. Danforth," she sent him a warning, "You also get the honor of reading the class this handout while I am gone." She started to leave and stuck her head back into the room, "behave, and NO cellphones."

Troy's shoulders fell, "Sorry man, I just..."

Chad rolled his eyes, "Whatever man," he turned his attention to the rest of the class and waved around the handout, "Do you wanna hear this dumb story? Or do you want to hear Troy's?"

"Chad, you're dead," Troy turned around glared at his best friend.

He smirked, "Hey man, it's not like you really 'give a fuck' anyway, right?"

"Chad."

"Don't worry Troy, I'll use aliases," he brushed him off.

"Just tell the story, Chad," Sharpay was growing impatient.

He put out his hands, "Good things come to those who wait."

"JUST TELL THE STORY CHAD!" Everyone, except for Gabriella who was in her phone, and Troy who was miserably resting his head his desk, unanimously answered.

"Okay, okay... There's this kid I know," he looked at Troy, "His name is... Broy and this girl."

Gabriella glanced up at him and narrowed her eyes.

"Her name is Girl." He informed them quickly. Chad continued on in full detail about the whole breakfast situation, he stopped every now and them to make sure Troy was okay, and by the time that Darbus came back, everyone in their homeroom had learned about 'Broy's' eventful morning. They also met a furious Ms. Darbus, for not even glancing over her packet.

* * *

"So, you greased East High's own deity, the Golden Boy himself, Troy Alexander Bolton's favorite red jersey," Isaac leaned against the locker next to hers, "I'm impressed, didn't know you had it in you." 

She closed her locker and was walking towards the cafeteria, "Nope, you didn't hear the story right... it was 'Girl'."

He gave her a handsome grin.

"You have paint on your face," she lightly touched his chin where the red mark was.

He poked her arm lightly with his brush, "You have paint on your arm."

Gabriella laughed, "What masterpiece are you working on now?"

He caught her elbow with his free hand, "Come to the art room real quick and I'll show you."

"Oh wow, so that's is where you stay hidden until lunch is over," she followed him towards the opposite direction of the cafeteria, "I'm detecting an art nerd."

"Yeah?" He walked behind her, "At least I'm not the one that hides away up in the not-so secret roof top garden with my boyfriend."

She looked at him, surprised, "Ex-boyfriend... and how would you know?"

He shrugged, "I sort of dated Allison Edwards last year."

"Allison? the cheerleader? Gossip Queen?" She was even more shocked, "You?"

Isaac laughed, "So I guess after you and Troy, the rest of us got the 'okay' to date whoever we wanted."

"Wow," she turned into the classroom, which smelled like turpentine and fixative, "so you've got a thing for blondes."

He shook his head and smiled at her, while he led her to his canvas, "I've got a thing for drop dead gorgeous."

Gabriella studied the painting, at awe at how well someone could capture high-lights and shadows, forms and shapes so wonderfully. "It's really, beautiful," she complimented, "I didn't think it was possible but... you've gotten better." She reached out and touched the paint.

"Still wet." he explained. They both had art together before, and he always allowed her to examine them however she liked. "You wanna try?" He held out the paint brush to her.

"I couldn't," she pulled her hand back.

"You have before."

"... And I messed it up."

"You didn't."

"Stop being nice, I did."

"... And then I fixed it." He pointed towards the different brushes, "You remember how."

Gabriella smiled, she took the brush out of his hand and watched how the red poured out of the bristles. "Why do you do this?"

"Art?" He sat down on one of the stools and watched her work, "Because it's the only thing that I'm good at."

"No, not Art," she continued filling in areas that he'd already went through, "Although I don't believe that for a second. I mean... sit in here, and do this during lunch."

"Blend a little green into the red," he watched her, "I don't know. There's just this thing about being alone that I'm used to."

"What do you mean?" She did as he directed.

"Just dip the brush into the green and work it into the red," he answered, Isaac gently took her hand and guided her along the canvas.

"Oh," she was so into the painting and their conversation, Gabriella didn't even notice how close they were.

"I," he spoke softly when he was working, "I guess it's the quiet that gets me."

"I like quiet," she smiled and allowed him to help her fill in the outline of the portrait's lovely face, "Quiet is good sometimes."

"Sometimes." He smiled and slowly let go of her hand.

* * *

Reviews are nice. Yeah... I like 'em a lot. lol, i think you catch my drift? raises my eyebrows... 


	3. Being Right

(FYI I don't have someone who reads over this to edit and etc, so if I have any grammatical mistakes… I'm sorry! unless someone wants to volunteer? PM me!)

* * *

Chapter 3

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Allison Edwards was the first to approach her after word got around about people seeing her leave the art room with Isaac that afternoon.

Gabriella smiled as if she didn't know what the school's very on 'Gossip Girl' were talking about, "Hey Ally."

"He's going pull you in with his strong and silent appeal," she informed the girl and linked arms with her, "and then once you've fallen in, there's no way you'll be able to pull yourself out."

All of it really sounded like was a bad break-up to her, "Look, I'm not after Isaac… I know you're trying to mark your territory or whatever but it's just a party-"

"Gabriella," she stopped and tightened her grip around her arm, looking at her in all seriousness, "I'm telling you… as a friend. He's no good."

"I'm just hanging out with him, what's the big deal?"

She answered sincerely, "He hurt me Gabriella, and he'd probably do it again so just be careful."

"Okay."

"Look, I've got cheerleading stuff to go to," the girl brought on a new subject quickly, "any way… just don't get too close."

She pulled up another smile and muttered quietly while watching the girl slip away, "Thanks…"

"Was she spreading more rumors about us?" Troy was behind her, leaning against the doorway with a smirk on his face.

Her smile fell.

Damn, she was still mad. His sly grin faded, "I owe you an apology."

She rolled her eyes and continued walking away, "I don't have time for you to figure out if you want to be polite or talk more trash about me, just stay out of my way Troy, I just want to graduate and leave."

His jaw fell open, "That has to be the longest sentence that you've spoke to me since you came back."

"You're so fake Troy," she spun around, "You act like we're still best friends when no one's around, but whenever we're around our friends everything is a fair game."

He ran his hands through his hair, "I don't mean it."

"What part?" She turned, continuing her walk toward the student parking lot, and searched inside of her cluttered bag for her car keys, "That anyone who's even remotely interested in me is only getting your sloppy seconds?"

"You know I didn't mean that." He quickly followed her.

"Or? Maybe you really didn't mean that I'm a fucking slut for 'fucking around with Grantham'," she could feel the prescription sleeping-pills bottle getting in the way, her cell-phone was vibrating again and she pulled it out, "Even though it doesn't matter that I've been friends with him since before I could walk." She fumbled through the screen looking for the missed call.

He watched her slowly turn her attention away from their argument and back to the Blackberry, "I didn't mean any of it."

"Yeah," her voice fell and she turned away towards her red Mercedes.

His annoyance grew into anger and Troy quickly snatched her phone from her grasp, "YOU AND THIS DAMN PHONE… Listen to me!" He grabbed her waist and pulled her back into the school.

She tried to push him away, and once he set her on her feet, he grabbed her arms and pin them against the cold metal lockers. Gabriella's eyes fell wide open, "Are you insane? Did you seriously just grab my phone?"

"Well fuck, if you just pulled yourself away from your secret Blackberry life, maybe you would understand why," he spat out dangerously close to her soft cheek.

She tried to sink in even further against the lockers, Gabriella turned her head away; he had a strong grip on her arms right above her elbows, breathing against her cheek.

"I'm sorry." He sounded different. Broken.

She lifted her head slowly and met his navy eyes, and for the first time in a long time they shared a sincere understanding. She quickly brushed off the feeling, "You are always going to be sorry, and I'm always going to be hurt."

He bit his lip and lessened his grip on her, Troy gently touched the center of her chin with his thumb and stared at her soft lips. "You know that I lov-"

"That's not right, Troy…" she pulled his hand away, "to me or Vivian." She took her phone back and walked away slowly, stopping in the doorway to look back and see him with his head resting on the space that he'd previously pushed her against.

A while ago, when she could read his every body language she would've known that there was more going on his life than he ever let anyone know. But a lot of things change in year's time, and she wasn't the same Gabriella, just like he wasn't the same Troy.

Gabriella turned away and checked her phone, seeing two missed calls from the people who worked for her Dad.

* * *

Everything would've went normal for Troy that night, if it hadn't been for her. He'd have to rough up a few jocks for looking at Vivian the wrong way and show the rest of East High's elite why he was still their Golden Boy, like all of the parties that he showed up to.

But then the lingering cautions for Gabriella's return sat in the back of his head like a migraine, and the thing was that she wasn't even there yet. As a matter of fact, Troy didn't touch an ounce of liquor at all; he wanted to remember what it felt like to beat the shit out of her date.

He spent the night imagining how she'd show up. Perfect, like always… maybe in that bright green one that always cause the other jock's to turn their heads, or even worse the tight little black dress that she only wore once for him when they were dating because he wouldn't allow her to wear it out in public. And then he grew in annoyance when he realized the guy she would be wearing it for was Thornton, the lonesome art druggie who couldn't even man up to take care of his kid. She probably wasn't even aware of it.

So for the rest of that night, Troy sat there alone, occasionally with a group of people but alone in his thoughts as he tortured himself with his own made up images of his ex-girlfriend and her new interest.

"Are you seriously just bumming out in the couch?" Allison Edwards (the gossip mill), flirtatiously ran her hand down his muscular arm and smiled, "Troy, relax, I already told her about Isaac."

He shook himself out of his thoughts, "Who?"

She rolled her eyes, annoyed at the fact that he was playing dumb, "Gabriella? The love of your life?"

"Oh," he muttered unexcitedly, as if she weren't the girl who was haunting his thoughts, "I don't care."

Allison smiled knowingly, "You so care. You care so much, I mean why would you have kissed her in front of everyone the other day then."

He coughed, "WHAT?"

She looked at him impatiently, "You know, it was so romantic… the way you grabbed her in kissed her in front of everyone in the cafeteria… although that is kind of sketchy since you're sort of with Vivian and she is my friend."

"I never kissed her," he informed the mistaken girl.

Her eyes grew doubtful, "Right… that's the story." She laughed and ruffled his brown locks, eventually being swept away by some other group of people who recognized her. Thankfully, they were smart enough to read the look on his face and left him alone.

He wasn't by himself for that long. Vivian greeted him with a kiss on his cheek and slid into his lap, she kissed him again on his lips and pulled away surprised at his soberness, "You haven't had anything to drink?"

He shook his head, "Not yet."

"Well I'll get you a beer then," she started to get up, but he pulled her back down and back into his lap.

"I'm cool," he smiled and fingered the soft locks of her brown hair.

She shrugged, "Okay."

"Kiss me again," he leaned into her and felt her lips against his. In his wandering heart he secretly waited for Gabriella to show up.

Except Gabriella never showed up. It was ten past two when Sharpay got a call from some strange guy that traced back to her number.

Troy with his god given athletic abilities swooped in and snatched her phone as soon as he figured out what was going on. He rushed out of the house party and hastily climbed into his truck to make his way toward her.

* * *

She was a beautiful wreck when Troy found her. Gabriella was at the bar laughing freely and coming back with witty remarks while the men around her made their usual harmless sexual innuendos. That was the way it seemed from a couple yards away, but when he stood next to her and glanced down, his heart must've dropped into his stomach, because she took in his presence with her crying eyes and forced a smile on her face.

"Troy," she exhaled in a half-sob and collapsed into him.

"It's her isn't it Shar?" It was obvious that the question had been sitting with Vivian for a while. Her tired eyes never left the door that Troy stormed out of an hour ago.

The blonde shifted in her spot and kept her eyes closed, "Who?"

"Troy's… mystery girl."

Sharpay snorted, "I know that you're supposed to be some kind of a bobble head cheerleader, but I know you're different and that you know about Troy's… wandering interests." She placed it lightly.

Vivian shrugged, "I know… I know he has his random flings or whatever but… I mean. Her."

"Her?"

She explained reluctantly, "The one that he's always thinking about."

"Oh damn," She muttered nervously, "Umm, I'm not the person you should be discussing this with."

"Why? I mean, you can be Gabriella's friend and mine at the same time."

Sharpay sat up and stretched, "Has nothing to do with it, just that… I've never dated Troy. I don't anything about that."

"But just tell me," She insisted, "it's Gabriella isn't it?"

"What makes you think that?" Sharpay shifted her green eyes away.

Vivian rolled her eyes, "I'm not blind… I remember that look he has when he's zoning out and it's the same one he has whenever she's around."

"Then you should also remember what I said about getting too close," She spoke boredly, "I warned you."

"So it is her."

Sharpay looked blankly into the high ceilings, "I'm not saying your right."

"You're not saying I'm wrong either." Vivian bit her lip and leaned back into the leather couch, she let her eyes linger on the front door, wanting desperately for Troy to come back and prove her wrong.

* * *

"I'm not sure that vodka and-"

"Shut up," Gabriella muttered and stumbled back into his body on her way upstairs to his bedroom.

He immediately grabbed her waist and held her tightly as he gently led her up the stairs, trying to keep quiet and not wake his parents.

Once Gabriella found herself inside of the familiar room, she kicked off her black heels pulled off her black fitted cropped blazer and climbed into his bed.

"You were crying." Troy stayed back near his door and folded his arms, watching the raw moonlight grace her beautiful face.

She had her eyes closed, but he could still feel the way she probably was rolling them. "Was not," an annoyed answer.

"Liar." He pushed himself off of the doorframe and laid on top of the covers next to her.

"I hope you don't think you're going to get lucky cause I'm just a little tipsy." There was an almost undetectable slur in her comment.

He laughed, "No, not 'just a little tipsy', let's face it… you're wasted."

She pulled off the covers, "Not 'wasted' I only had a couple of shots, what's the big deal?"

"The bartender said you had more than eight shots of vodka," he turned his eyes back to the ceiling, "and some random college guys bought you a few mixed drinks too."

She rolled her eyes, "It's really not that bad."

He was silent for a while.

"What," she studied his profile, finding that his facial features had matured faintly in her absence.

In a hesitant voice, he answered softly, "Don't… don't do that again."

She laughed it off, "I was just having fun…"

"Well it wasn't funny," he clenched his jaw.

"Will you lighten up?" She pushed him, "I'm not an alcoholic."

"I'm not stupid," he shifted to his side, "I found you being suspiciously content one moment and you burst into tears when you saw me?"

"Maybe it's you."

"Maybe it's you," he repeated.

"I just had a moment okay?" In a flash her protest turned into an utter annoyance, "Damn it, and in any case you're always out fucking around with random girls, you're such a hypocrite." She finished her sentence with a heavy sigh and fell back in between the sheets.

He let the silence set for a while, and with his open heart he confessed to her quietly, "Maybe I'm just trying to get over you."

She exhaled in tired breath, "It's been over a year."

"Exactly," he slowly confirmed, "and you haven't forgiven me."

"…Maybe I'm not just waiting for an apology." She turned around and faced the other direction.

He was hesitant, but knew that it was something that he'd left out before. "Then," he sputtered out unsmoothly, "you should know, that I've been tearing myself up about what I did last year."

"That's not an apology," she turned back around and surprised him. She held the side of his face with a gentle hand and kept a firm gaze on his dark blue eyes, "I'm sorry I wasn't emotionally strong enough to share you with another girl," she pulled her words back in quickly, "That's an apology."

He tore his eyes away from her and brushed his hand lightly against hers. "I'm sorry, Gabriella…" he confessed in a pitiful coarse whisper.

"For?" she asked expectantly.

"… For cheating," his voice fell and he bit his lip, "I'm sorry I hurt you."

Gabriella studied him for a moment and then smiled weakly, "Then I forgive you…"

"Just like that?" He looked at her apprehensively, "You forgive me just like that?"

She shrugged. "Yeah… but."

"But?"

The brunette's smile faded and she pulled her arm back and rested her palm against her neck, "But this doesn't change anything."

He reluctantly nodded, his stomach swallowing his heart. "That's fair," he agreed quietly and turned away.

They both stayed like that for a while, both silently still wide awake with empty words and unanswered questions. Mostly, she wanted to know why he would just let her go so easily, without giving himself a fighting chance and he wondered if she still thought about him the same way.

"Gabs," Troy sat up and glanced down at her, "I want to be friends."

* * *

After Friday night, part of her wanted to forget everything that happened, and another part of her was sort of relieved that it did.

She was sort of friends with Troy again. The girls didn't really understand why and neither could she, but honestly Gabriella was relieved that they could both move on and let go of their messy past.

But he caught her with her guard down, and the way she cried in his arms that night in the bar might have flawed her set opinion of who his was now. She didn't know how to be his friend anymore.

"Heard you got into a little trouble Friday night," David smirked as he sat down next to her and stole the apple in front of her. He raised his eyebrows suggestively and bit into her lunch.

She was of course deep into her Blackberry, "Kind of."

"First… you threw out his breakfast," he raised a finger up.

"Yeah," she laughed.

He put up a second finger, "Then you have lunch with the stupid loner art boy."

"He's not stupid or a loner."

He ignored her and continued, "Then you spend the night at Golden Boy's house."

She didn't respond this time. Gabriella rolled her eyes, "You owe me an apple, and anyway I have to meet up someone."

"Better not be Art Boy!" He yelled after and finished the apple.

She shrugged him off and headed towards the art room.

"Hey, you alright?" Isaac was washing the paint off his brushes when Gabriella walked in, "Kind of worried me when you cancelled last week."

She smiled at him, "I'm fine now, I just needed time alone."

"Understandable," he shrugged, "Alright, you ready?"

She gave him a look, "I was waiting on you Art Boy."

He laughed and grabbed his car keys, "Very original, Gabs."

"It's Gabriella," she corrected him and pushed him along.

"You are going to love this," he grinned and shuffled along.

"A train track?" She glanced at him in disbelief, "We could get in trouble for this."

Isaac laughed, "It's cool, the cops never come to this side." He grabbed his backpack along and climbed out of the truck, "You ever heard of Banksy?"

"The guy that people are still looking for in London cause of his controversial graffiti?" She got out of his truck apprehensively.

"Exactly," he nodded, "He immortalizes his art by questioning it's whole definition."

"Okay that's nice, but we could seriously get in to trouble for-" She stopped in mid-sentence when her eyes fell on one of the paintings on the box carts.

"It's you," he glanced at her for a second and walked closer to the cart.

She stood in amazement at the mural. There she was a portrait of herself on the side of the cart, he caught line on her face correctly, there wasn't even a flaw that she could find.

"It's not all there yet," he shrugged, "but I thought you'd like to see it anyway, before a train comes and pulls it away.

"I can't believe you did…"

"I can't believe it either," he stood next to her and studied it, "I don't know, you just have a really drawable face."

She snorted, "Is that your way of saying I'm pretty?"

A smile crept on his face, "Maybe."

"I've never had anyone do anything like this for me," Gabriella took his arm and kept her eyes on the box cart, "It's beautiful."

He nodded, "It is pretty damn awesome huh?"

"Very Awesome."

* * *

AN:/ so its finally here! Yay! Sorry for taking so long. I added a little bit of Troy and Gabriella time, and finally they are talking to each other now, and I wanted to show a deeper side of Vivian because it's so easy to make her a bitch and etc but that's so like… stereotypical to have that kind of a character so no, she is NOT going to be mean (be nice to her!) lol. Until next time. Thanks for you reviews by the way! 


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